Jacqueline Kennedy maternity dress, family photos up for auction

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A maternity gown once belonging to former U.S. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and a collection of 79 photographs featuring never-before-seen pictures of the young Kennedy family are up for sale at an auction ending on Thursday.

The Los Angeles-based auction house Nate D. Sanders said the cream-patterned dress was worn by Jacqueline Kennedy in 1960 when she was pregnant with her son John F. Kennedy Jr. She later gave it to White House nanny Maud Shaw during a visit to London after the nanny retired.

Among the photographs, reportedly taken by Shaw, are pictures of a young John F. Kennedy Jr. and his sister Caroline at the beach and playing with other children.

"These photos really do show the private moments of the Kennedys. Most of the photos that we see are very out in public where it's not necessarily posed but it's certainly on display," Laura Kirk, of Nate D. Sanders, said.

"These photos show a completely different side of the family where it was just amongst them and just being relaxed and fun and carefree and I think that really does come through in the photos."

Bidding for the dress and pictures, sold in one lot, starts at $10,000.

(Reporting By Reuters Television in Los Angeles; Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian in London; Editing by Larry King)